My lifestyle, my way: "Naturally!"

Yes, I’m a horrible blogger. Months have passed; hair milestones have come and gone; promotion received (yay!); and I failed to provide an update. I apologize! Now the updates…

Henna Recipe Simplified!
1. Henna (I use Nupur9 and love it. I buy it on amazon). Amount: I add a little at a time to the coconut cream until the consistency is slightly stiffer than cake batter.
2. Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream (1 can).

That’s it…

I no longer use oil because: (1) my hair feels less conditioned when I include oil in my henna mix; and (2) the drip/messy factor drastically increases with oil.

Black salon cape (I use a plastic-like one, but once it dies, I will probably purchase a washable one)

Plastic processing cap

Satin scarf

Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a glass mixing bowl and use a mixer until the batch is the consistency of smooth cake batter. (Helpful tip: put henna in first and stir a bit to avoid a powder explosion! Learned this the hard way, and no, I do not bake.) I also usually let the mix sit for at least 12 hours, making it the night before I apply it. To prepare Katie-kaboom for henna application, I wash, condition, detangle into three sections, and rinse all product out. I squeeze dry each section, put on cape and gloves, then apply the henna mix section by section. After thorough application, I clip each section up using a duckbill hair clip, put on a processing cap, and then wrap my hair with a scarf.

I leave the henna on for a minimum of four (4) hours, but really try to keep it on for at least eight (8). To remove the henna, I take a shower rinsing my hair with water and using slippery conditioner to remove all the henna. With this recipe, I can usually remove all the henna with only one (1), that’s right just one, rinse; two maximum!!! I follow up with a moisturizing deep conditioner and, “Voila!” Finis.

Cons: I do not experience any because the final step in my henna process is a moisturizing deep conditioner. The few times I did not do this (with other recipes), Katie felt extremely dry, brittle. With this recipe, Katie feels soft after rinse, but since she gets dry easily, I still do the moisturizing deep conditioner.

Well, that’s it. I still have another 2 hours, so I think I’ll read my book club book.

I sent the following, except the chart, to TJ’s. Feel free to do the same if you have dry hair like me that does not abide non-water soluble silicones and high levels of ingredients known to strip moisture from hair (dimethicone and citric acid to be exact). Katie-kaboom is NOT amused!!!

See below. Pic of ingredient list at the bottom of post after chart.

“I am a loyal TJ’s shopper and noticed that the ingredient list for one of my favorite TJ’s products changed for the worse. Nourish Spa Conditioner’s ingredient list increased and the new ingredients are ones I simply cannot apply to my hair. Also, the organic ingredients moved from “organic” to “organic extracts.”

Ingredients of particular concern include:

1) Moving Cetyl Alcohol and Citric Acid to among the first ingredients, especially citric acid; AND

2) Dimethicone (a non-water soluble silicone);

Citric Acid and dimethicone, over time, are not good for those with dry hair or that are pursuing natural/near natural hair washing and conditioning regimes. Nourish Spa Conditioner’s original formula was a “holy grail” product for those with dry hair and/or pursuing natural hair care.

I respectfully request you return to your original formula, or at the very least, remove dimethicone entirely from the new formula AND place citric acid in its former place on the ingredients list. Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.